If you’re planning a multi-island vacation chances are you’ve discovered that the only way to get around is by airplane. Unfortunately, we do not have a ferry or small ships that will take you from island to island. While you may want to get to your destination quickly, you may want to consider taking one of the smaller commuter airlines so you can see amazing views. There are a couple of commuter airlines that fly smaller planes which allow you to see Hawaii in ways that you can only do from the air. You can actually save some money because if you’re planning to do a helicopter ride or even take one of these small planes for sightseeing tour, the price can cost $200 or more.

A local commuter airline called Island Air has been doing these hops for many years. They operate 46 flights a day serving Oahu, Maui, Kona, Molokai and is the only carrier which serves the island of Lanai. The airline flies 37 seat Dash 8-100s and 8-200’s which are turboprop jet engine planes that are perfect for interisland travel and sighseeing at the same time and very reliable. The planes fly anywhere from 5000 to 12,000 feet in the air which give you great views of the islands and allow you to see valleys, coastlines, and even waterfalls. People have even reported seeing whales breach from these commuter planes.

A even smaller commuter airline called Pacific wings flies to select locations across the islands serving mostly smaller airports. They fly nine passenger Grand Caravan Cesna’s and since they’re going to remote locations Hana on Maui and Kalaupapa on Molokai the spectacular views you’ll experience are second to none. Remember these planes are really small so if you afraid of heights or have any issues with flying you may want to think twice before embarking on one of these interisland flights.

If you’re interested in taking one of these flights make sure you let your agent know and we can certainly put together a package that includes one of these smaller planes so you can have fun on your interisland hop. If you’re just on one island and you still want to take a flight for sightseeing purposes there are companies that offer trips from Oahu and Kauai.

The smaller planes sometimes cost more than the larger planes however, the experience might be one that you be sharing with your friends for a lifetime.